Swinging cutter expanding reamer



N 1932- J. J. SANTIAGO 1,885,550

SWINGING CUTTER EXPANDING REAMER Filed Nov. 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l ii 229.2 [29.5. i /a Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED; STA-rs earner oas s JAMESJ. SANTIAGO, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR 'ro- Los ,ANGELES, CALIFORNIA:

" SWINGING CUTTER EXPANDING REAMEB.

Application filed November 13, 1928.; Serial No."319,080.

i This inventionhas to do with expanding well reamers or underreamers, and more particularly withexpandmg underreamers for IOtELLy.dI1ll111g.! It may be stated as one of .thevgeneralobjects of the invention to prolowing-detailed description "but needing no preliminary mention.

The present invention is characterized by the utilization of .cutters or cutter elements which swing in a vertical plane for expansion and-contraction. Cutters which swing in a horizontal plane have been heretofore proandoutwardly, but in which' the cutterexaandin movement is a swin in movement either for one or both endsofa cutter, about a horizontalpivot center. The cutter or cutter elementprovided by this invention is one which has 'preferablya considerable longitudinalextent. The cutteras a whole does not swing about a single horizontal pivotal center; but, as will hereinafter be described in preferred and illustrative detail, either one end, and preferably the upper end, of the cutter swings about such a horizontal pivotal cen-' terswings in a curved path in a vertical plane-or both ends, and therefore all polnts on the cutter, swing in circular or curved paths in a vertical plane. For the purpose of describing in full detail a typical embodiment of the invention, and

so that those skilled in the art Ina com rebend the inventionitself by way ofan understanding of the details of a preferred and illustrative structure, I illustrate such structures in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevationof one form of underreamer in accordance with my invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section taken on line 2-2'of Figure 1, both Figures land 2 showing the reamer in its expanded condition.

Joniv GRANT; or

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure2but;

showing the reamcr in contractedposition.

Fi g. {l is a ure 2'.

Fig. 5 is a cross section online 5,5 of Fig.

ure 2. I Y 1 cross section on line 44 of Fig- Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figurel, but,

showing a' modified form. I T

Figir'l'. is a longitudinal central sectionon line 7 of Figure 6'.

Fig; ;8 is across sectionon line 8-8 of Fig'.

ure/7.

Fig. 9 is a cross section on line9'9 of ure 7, and

Fig. 10 is a section similar to that of Figure 7 but showing the reamcr in contracted condition. r

In thedrawings, a suitable reamer body is illustrated at 10 adapted at its: upper enduat 11, for connection; with a drill stem, and at its lower end, at 12, for connection with the; drilling bit 13' that .is usually run belowa reamcr or underreamer in rotary work; As

shown inthe specific design ofthese draw- .75

ings,.the.body 10 is slotted as at.14to"a'ccom-. modate thecutters; and thelongitudinal wa-- tercourse 15 is carried vertically aCIOSSthG slotted portion of the body by a water tube 16, to'deliver circulating fluid from the drill stem above to the circulation passages in the drill bit 13 below. i

I have preferred to illustrate here that.

form of cutter which is known as a lookoutter, or a cutter involving .a cutting roller.

Any other form .of cutter may, however, be*

used. Thus, as shown in the various :views, the cutter may be regarded as being composed of two parts, specifically the part 20 which:

may be called a cutter carrier, and the part In'the specific 1 form here Figures 1 to 5, the lower end of in a spring recess 25 in the body.

The upper ends of cutter carriers 20 are pivetally connected, at 26, with the swinging ends of pivoted links or arms 27, pivoted on horizontal axes, at 28, to the body. These aivoted swin in arms 27 thus swin in ver- D b D tical planes, and they may swing between the outwardly extended or expanded positions shown in Figure 2 and the downwardly extending or contracted positions shown in Figure 3. In the contracted-positions the arms 27 preferably are stopped before they quite reach a vertical position, as in the typical position. shown in Figure 3, by the stop surfaces 30, as shown in Figure 3. Thus the upward pressure of springs 24 tends at all times to start the arms 27 in their outward andupward swinging movements, toward the positions of Figure 2, and the arrangement insures expansion of the cutters when they pass out of the casing and into the drill hole below. Once the cutters are passed out of the casing, the spring action, tending at all times to press the cutters up, presses them out and up toward the position of Figure 2; andthe relative upward drag of the formation on the cutters also tends to move them upwardly, and therefore outwardly, to the expanded positions. In order to collapse or contract the cutters it is only necessary to pull them up so that the swinging arms 27 contact with the lower end of the casing, or with the casing shoe, when the arms, and the cutters, are pressed downwardly and inwardly to the collapsed position.

In Figures 6 to 10 the structure illustrated is somewhat similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5, but here I show a cutter carrier 20a which is integral with the rolling cutter 21a.

Instead of the cutter 21a rotating on the carrier-as a non-rotating shaft or pin, the carrier 20a here rotates with the cutter, and the upper and lower ends of the carrier are mounted in pivot blocks 20?) which have trunnion mountings 200 inthe pairs of vertically swinging arms 27a. These pairs of vertically swinging arms 27a are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the carriers, and springs 24a tend to rotate the arms 2711 out wardly and upwardly to move the cutters to their (outward expanded positionsfl The springs are here shown applied to the upper arms 27a, but they may be applied as well to the lower arms, or to both. The relative movements will be readily understood from a consideration of Figures 7 and 10. In this form of device, where the springs 24a act directly to rotate the swinging arms 27a, in-

stead of acting upwardly on the cutter carr1ers,it is immaterial how far the cutters and cutter carriers, and the arms, swing inwardly to reach the collapsed position, and therefore no stops to the inward swinging motions are lower arms 27a as being of equal lengths, and

therefore show the cutters and cutter carriers swinging in a movement which keeps each cutter or cutter carrierparallel to itself at all times; it will readily be understood that the ends of the arms 27a may be made unequal to any desired extent, so that either the upper or the lower end of each cutter may swing outwardly more or less than the other end.

Itis preferred, in either of the forms here illustrated, to make the swinging arms 27 or 27a fit the body slots 14 laterally so that the cutter-carrying arms are thus made to bear laterally against the side walls of the body slot, thus to be supported as strongly as pos- 'sible against rotary or tangential forces exerted upon the cutters and therefore upon the cutter carriers and arms. Within the limits of good design, and particularly with in the limits of strength of the arms 27 or 27a, it will be apparent that a reamer constructed as herein described can be made to expand by any amount desired; the amount of expansion being only limited by the lengths of the swinging arms.

In the form of Figures 1 to 5, where the lower ends of the cutters are supported upon the vertically moving spring rods 28, strength at the lower ends against inward forces may be attained by having the head blocks 23a of the spring bars 23 bear inwardly against the abutment faces 23b of thebody as shown in Figures 2 and 3. And strength at the lower ends ofthe cutters, against rotative or tangential forces applied to the cutters, is attained by having the heads 28a confined laterally between the side walls 14a of the body slot 14, which may be narrowed for that purpose at its lower end, as is clearly horizontal pivot on the body, said arm being restricted in its swinging movement between 'a position extending downwardly from its pivot and a position extending outwardly from its pivot, a cutter pivotally mounted on the swinging end of said arm, and actuating means carried by the body tending to swing the arm outwardly.

3. An expanding reamer comprising a body adapted to be attached to a drill stem, a cutter-carrying arm mounted to swing on a horizontal pivot on the body, a cutter pivotally mounted at one end on the swinging end of said arm, movable mounting means in the body for the other end of the cutter, and actuating means carried by the body tending to swing said arm abou its pivot.

4:. An expanding reamer, comprising a body having a vertically extending slot, a vertically swinging cutter-supporting arm mounted at one end on horizontal axis in the body slot, said arm being restricted to movement substantially between a position extending downwardly from its pivot and a position extending outwardly from its pivot, and said arm bearing laterally against the wall of the body slot, a cutter pivotally connected to the swinging end of said arm, and actuating means carried by the body tending to move the cutter and arm outwardly.

5. An expanding reamer, comprising a body having a vertically extending slot, a vertically swinging cutter-supporting arm mounted at one end on a horizontal axis in the body slot, said arm being restricted to movement substantially between a position extending downwardly from its pivot and a position extending outwardly from its pivot, and said arm bearing laterally against the wall of the body slot, a cutter pivotally con nected at its upper end to the swinging end of d arm, movable mounting means in the body for the lower end of said cutter, and actuating means carried by the body tending to move the cutter and arm outwardly.

6. An expanding reamer, comprising a body having a vertical cutter receiving slot, upper and lower cutter-supporting arms mounted at one end on horizontal pivots in the body slot so as to swing in a. vertical plane, a cutter pivotally mounted on the swinging ends of said two arms, said arms bearing laterally against the side walls of the body slot, and actuating means carried by the body tending to swing said arms upwardly and outwardly about their horizontal pivots.

7. An expanding reamer, comprising a body, upper and lower cutter carrying arms pivoted at one end on a horizontal. axis on the body so to swing in a vertical plane, a cutfor pivotally mounted at its upper and lower ends, respectively, on the swinging ends of the two swinging arms, and actuating means or rried by the body tending to swing said arms upwardly and outwardly with respect to the body.

8. An underreaming tool comprising an elongated body portion adapted to be lowered through a well casing, a plurality of cylindrical cutters mounted 011 said body and arranged therearound in position to perform an underreaming operation, said cutters being mounted upon shafts which extend-lengthwise'of said body, said shafts being movable lengthwise of said body, normally pendant links pivotally connecting the upper ends of said shafts with said body, means to force said shafts upwardly and len 'thwise of said body and thereby cause said links to forcesaid shafts radially outward from said body, and means to stop the swing arena links at an upward inclination relative to their inner pivots.

9. An underreaming tool comprising an elongated body portion adapted to be lowered through a well casing, a cutter shaft mounted by theside of said body, a cutter mounted upon said shaft, a link pivotally connecting said shaft with said body, means to move said shaft lengthwise to cause said shaft and cutter to swing outwardly to the under-reaming position, and stop means to arrest the outward swing of said link, the inner end of said link having a bearing surface which is curved concentrically with relation to its attaching pivot, and the afore mentioned body of the tool having a correspondingly curved bearing surface to cooperate with and having a working fit upon said bearing surface of said link.

10. An underreaming tool comprising an elongated body portion adapted to be lowered through a well casing, a cutter shaft mounted on said body and extending lengtl wise thereof, a cutter mounted upon said shaft in position to perform an underreaming operation, said shaft being movable lengthwise of said body, a link pivotally connecting the upper end of said shaft with said body, and means to force said shaft upwardly and lengthwise of said body and thereby cause said link to force said shaft radially outward from said body, said body being provided with a stop shoulder which arrests the swinging of said link after it reaches an upward inclination with relation to its inner pivot.

11. An underreaming tool comprising an elongated body portion adapted to be lowered through a well casing, a cylindrical cutter mounted adjacent said body and positioned to perform an underreaming operation, said cutter being mounted upon a shaft which extends len thwise of said body, a link pivotally connecting said shaft with said body, and actuating means carried by the body acting to force said shaft lengthwise of said body and thereby cause said link to force said shaft radially outward from said body.

12. An underreaming tool comprising an elongated body portion adapted to be lowered through a well casing, a cylindrical cutter mounted adjacent said body portion and positioned to perform an underreaming operation, said cutter being mounted upon a shaft which extends lengthwise of said body, a link pivotally connecting said shaft with said body, actuating means carried by the body acting to force said shaft lengthwise of said body and thereby cause said link to force said shaft radially outward from said body,

' and a follower against which said spring 0perates to move said shaft in the direction of its length as aforesaid.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of October, 1928.

JAMES J. SANTIAGO. 

